Queens voters will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of New York City government as all 51 City Council seats are up for grabs in the 2025 election cycle. With several incumbents term-limited and new challengers stepping into the spotlight, the borough is home to some of the city’s most closely watched and competitive races.
Candidates are vying to represent a borough that continues to grow in population and diversity, bringing new urgency to local issues like housing, public safety, transit, and education.
The primary election will be held on June 24, followed by the general election on November 4. Ranked-choice voting will once again be used in the primaries, giving voters the opportunity to rank up to five candidates in each race.
The race to succeed term-limited City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams in District 28 is heating up in Southeast Queens, where five Democratic candidates will appear on the ballot in the June 24 primary for Council District 28.
The contenders — Tyrell Hankerson, Romeo Hitlall, Latoya LeGrand, Japneet Singh, and former Council Member Ruben Wills — are competing to represent a district that includes the diverse neighborhoods of Richmond Hill, Jamaica, South Ozone Park, and Rochdale Village.
Adams, who made history in 2017 as the first woman elected to represent District 28, broke new ground again in 2022 when she became the first Black Speaker of the New York City Council. As Speaker, she has been a vocal advocate for equity, focusing her legislative efforts on public health, community safety, and reproductive justice.
Among her key accomplishments, Adams championed legislation to combat racial disparities in maternal health and expand access to reproductive care. She also launched a $5.1 million initiative to support community-based safety and victim services in neighborhoods affected by gun violence. Under her leadership, New York State’s first four Trauma Recovery Centers were established.
With her term ending this year, Adams has shifted her sights to higher office. In March, she became the 10th Democrat to officially enter the 2025 mayoral race.
Democratic Candidates:
Tyrell Hankerson – Chief of Staff to Council Member Adams
With years of experience in local politics as the district chief of staff to incumbent Council Member Adrienne Adams, Tyrell Hankerson is now vying against four other candidates in the race to take over his boss’s city council seat. A lifelong South Ozone Park resident, Hankerson has years of community service experience. At 13, he became civically involved in the 106th Precinct Law Enforcement Explorers Program, which he participated in until age 20.
Hankerson’s community advocacy extends to his appointment by the Queens borough president to the Leadership Council of the Jamaica Now Action Plan and as an advisory member of the Health + Hospitals Community Advisory Board in Queens.
As for his platform, Hankerson is running with a focus on public safety, economic development, and quality of life issues. Under his slogan of “One District 28,” Hankerson advocates for being a council member who serves all residents of Queens District 28. Regarding his public safety promises, Hankerson plans to support community-based public safety solutions and advocate for trained professionals to work with law enforcement when encountering vulnerable populations.
Additionally, g his plans for economic development and quality of life aim to expand access to home care support for seniors, create affordable housing for homeowners and renters, and establish grant and low-interest loan programs for foreclosure prevention.
Romeo Hitlall – Real estate broker, Community Board 10 member.
Although he is a newcomer to running for political office, Romeo Hitlall has been civically involved in Southeast Queens for over 25 years. Hitlall is Guyanese-American and hails from South Ozone Park. He is the CEO and owner of NMCRA Connectors Realty in South Ozone Park and has been a member of Community Board 10 for the past 17 years.
He has also committed much of his time to community service as an active member of the Lions Club for the past 12 years. Since 2012, Hitlall has served as Charter President of the Richmond Hill-South Ozone Park Lions Club, leading an array of initiatives, including an annual Thanksgiving turkey giveaway, community health fairs, yearly holiday giveaways, and school supplies giveaways. He recently made history on July 1st, 2024, when he was sworn in as the first Indo-Guyanese District Governor for Brooklyn and Queens in the 106-year history of Lions District 20K1. Additionally, he helped to spearhead the effort to install the “Welcome to Little Guyana” sign at the A Train Subway Station in Richmond Hill on March 22.2024.
Hitlall is campaigning to restore District 28 to its former glory. He’s focused on implementing policies to improve driver and pedestrian safety, advocating for keeping the NYPD’s gang database in operation, and cleaning up commercial corridors in downtown Jamaica.
Latoya LeGrand – Aide to Assembly Member Vivian Cook, Community Board 12 member.
Latoya LeGrand is running on an education-focused platform, bringing her experience as the education Committee chair on Community Board 12 to the District 28 race. LeGrand is familiar with local politics; she’s experienced as the constituent services representative for Assembly Member Vivian Cook. LeGrand is the founder of Projects2Projects, a nonprofit organization providing housing equity and education resources for those in foster care and NYCHA residents.
Throughout her campaign, LeGrand has highlighted the importance of uplifting teachers, building strong schools that provide quality education for children in District 28, and access to libraries and literacy programs.
Japneet Singh – Assurance associate, former City Council candidate.
Candidate Japneet Singh is familiar with running for city and state political office. Singh is a former candidate for the 2022 NYS Senate District 15 Democratic primary and the 2021 City Council District 28 Democratic primary. Singh, who is of the Sikh faith, is passionate about uplifting New York’s Sikh community, including advocating for the passage of the 1984 Sikh Genocide Resolution in New York State. Singh has a notable interfaith approach to his campaign, as he has worked across the aisle with members of various faith communities in Southeast Queens.
Singh’s campaign promises include spotlighting “left-behind” communities in District 28. He’s pledged to communicate transparently with residents through monthly community town halls, untraditional office hours, and workshops on accessing government resources. Additionally, he has emphasized advocating for local business owners and working-class community members.
Ruben Wills – Former Council Member (2011–2017).
Ruben Wills is no newcomer to local politics. Wills was the former council member for District 28 from 2011 to 2017. Born and raised in Southeast Queens, Wills was the owner and operator of a contracting company before entering politics. He began his political career as a special assistant to then Council Member Leroy Comrie, then served as chief of staff to NYS Sen. Shirley Hutley.
Wills’ tenure as council member was marred by controversy, as he was incarcerated following a felony conviction in 2017. In 2020, a panel of Second Department justices exonerated and dismissed all charges against him, and the decision was upheld by the state’s Court of Appeals in 2021.
During his re-election campaign, Wills focuses on economic development, affordable housing, and public safety. Some of his campaign promises include spearheading initiatives that promote entrepreneurship and protecting tenants from displacement. Additionally, he advocates for strong community policing strategies that foster a relationship between law enforcement and community members.
District demographics and political landscape
District 28 is predominantly Black, with 48% of residents identifying as Black. Approximately 19% of residents are Hispanic, 16% Asian, 3% White, and 13% are Other. The district is considered deep blue, with approximately 73% registered Democrats, compared to approximately 5% Republicans, and 18% without party affiliation.
